The Black Velvet Band
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Andrew Jardine considers his mother the most beautiful woman in the world, it's therefore only natural that he should get confused on a couple of points...kind of fluffy.


**A/N: This was inspired by the Wiggles (an Australian children's band) song "The Black Velvet Band." I also thought it would be nice if the Jardine kids had some interaction with Jean, especially in light of Jackie not having a mother. I also wanted to do something with Andrew since all the other kids have had their own story. I made up the name of Jackie's dad and Alice Jardine is also my creation. Hope you enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**_The Black Velvet Band_**

...

_"Her eyes they shine like diamonds  
I thought her the Queen of the land  
Her hair hangs over her shoulder  
Tied up with a black velvet band"_

"Black Velvet Band," the Wiggles

_...  
_

Jean Taggart had taken to the role of pseudo grandmother to the Jardine children with great aplomb. She considered Michael and Jackie as her own children so it was only natural that she should extend the same affection to their children.

Aside from having her own grandchildren visit there was nothing she liked more than a visit from the five Jardine children and, for their part, the children took just as much delight in visiting their "Grandma Jean."

Andrew in particular loved these visits as he'd taken a particular fascination to photographs, especially ones of his parents in their younger days, and Jean, unlike Bob Reid or Alice Jardine, had the advantage of having photos of both of his parents.

One photo in particular always struck his fancy as it was just of his mother and showed her smiling with the long hair she had favoured in her younger days tied with a dark ribbon and flowing over her shoulder. Andrew thought it made her look very beautiful and it merely confirmed his four year old convictions about his parents. For it was his unshakeable belief that his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world and that his father knew everything and could do no wrong.

So perhaps it was only natural that this particular photograph, combined with a favourite story that Jean often told the children, would form a suspicion in his mind. Yet, he wasn't the son of two detectives for nothing and he knew that further information was required before he could be sure of his suspicion.

Thus it was that he asked an amused Jean whether the tie in his mother's hair was black velvet and then asked his father whether he thought his mother's eyes shone like diamonds.

Michael, understandably, had been confused by the question, but had answered readily enough that he supposed Jackie's eyes could be equated to diamonds. But if he'd been unprepared for this first question he was completely taken aback by Andrew's next question: "Daddy, are you a prince?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" was Michael's immediate response.

Andrew's brow furrowed, this was not the reaction he'd been expecting. "Grandma Jean told me the story of Prince Michael and the woman who ties her hair up with a black velvet band again today. Mummy used to do that and you just said she had eyes that shone like diamonds, just like the lady in the story," Andrew replied.

Michael stifled a grin, "I'm sorry, Andrew, I'm not a Prince. That's just a fairy tale," he explained as gently as he could.

Andrew looked a trifle upset, "So Mummy's not a beautiful Princess?"

Michael glanced at him briefly in the revision mirror, "Well, she may not be a real Princess, but she's my Princess," Michael said, turning his attention back to the road.

Andrew considered his father's words as he watched the scenery pass by, "But you love her like the Prince loved the lady in the story?" he asked finally.

"Of course I do," Michael was quick to assure him.

Andrew nodded, satisfied, "Then I suppose it's all right that you're not a real Prince," he decided.

Michael shook his head, still smiling, "That's good to know," he said as seriously as he could.

Andrew fell silent as he turned his attention back out the window; he'd meant what he said about it being ok that his suspicion proved incorrect. It didn't really change anything, his mother was still the most beautiful woman in the world and his father still knew everything.


End file.
